We meet with so much in the holy Scriptures on the subject of spitting, and the being spitted upon, and in the eastern world, among the customs and manners of the people, the thing itself was considered a matter of such great reproach, that I have thought it worth while to consider it somewhat particularly. And I am the more inclined to this, from the treatment shewn to our blessed and adorable Redeemer in this way, concerning whom it is said, with peculiar emphasis, "he hid not his face from shame and spitting." (Isaiah 50:6)
In order to have the better apprehension of the subject, we must look as far back as the Levitical law, where we find that even the spittle of an unclean person, though not accompanied with any anger, get if falling by accident upon another, was considered a defilement; and the person so spit upon was unclean until the even. (See Leviticus 15:8) But when this was done by design, and accompanied with anger, the uncleanness and the disgrace were considered more flagrant. Thus in the case of a father's spitting in his child's face it should seem that this was tantamount to the leprosy, for the same law, and by the Lord's own appointment, took place in both casesthe child was shut out of the camp for seven days. (Compare Numbers 12:14, with Leviticus 13:50)
We may farther remark, that the action of spitting was made a matter of shewing the most sovereign contempt in the eastern world, in some of the most important circumstances of life. Thus the woman who was refused by her brother's husband, was to testify her utter abhorrence of him by spitting in his race; and this together with the loosening the shoe from his foot, was considered as the greatest of all possible reproaches. So that from henceforth his name was called in Israel, "The house of him that hath his shoe loosed." (See Deuteronomy 25:5-10)
These circumstances may serve to explain in some measure with what abhorrence the action of spitting upon another was considered in the manners of the east. When it was done in anger, it was looked upon as the greatest of all outrages: and even when done unintentionally no affront in common life was equal to it. A French writer (Niebuhr) in giving his history of the Arabs, saith, "I remember to have seen in a caravan one of the company spitting from it sideways, and the spittle by accident fell upon the beard of another standing by. The offender instantly not only begged pardon for what every one saw was unintentional, but kissed his beard in token of respect. This had the desired effect, and seemed to pacify; and perhaps nothing but the kiss would have repaired the wrong."
I have introduced these observations merely by way of offering another, which I humbly conceive is of infinitely greater importance; I mean in respect to the personal indignities shewn to the Lord Jesus Christ in the article of spitting upon him. Few writers which I have met with take notice in terms equal to its importance, according to my view of the subject, of those indignities manifested to Christ. And yet it should seem that the Holy Ghost hath laid great stress upon them; yea Jesus himself referred to them by the spirit of prophecy ages before his incarnation. He speaks of it as a thing done even then, so much was it upon his holy mind"I gave my back (said Jesus) to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shamedand spitting." (Isaiah 50:6) And it is expressly said by his servant the apostle, that for the glory which was set before him, he endured the cross, and despised the shame. (Hebrews 12:2)
I do not presume to speak decidedly upon a subject so infinitely great, and wrapped up as it is in mystery; but I confess that I am inclined to think that no small part of the glory of Christ's work in redemption consisted in the humiliation of the Son of God in the accomplishment of it. If he who knew no sin became sin, and he who had incurred no penalty became a curse, well may it be supposed that he who knew no shame should be exposed to the greatest shame, to do away both the sin, curse and the shame, which Adam's transgression had brought upon the whole church when he had made the whole earth naked to their shame.
Let the reader pause over the solemn and affecting subject; let his faith take wing, and flee to the solemn spot of Gethsemane, Pilate's hall, and Mount Calvary; let him in imagination behold the meek and unoffending lamb of God in the midst of the bulls of Bashau, and view him giving his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off his hair, and hiding not his face from shame and spitting; let him behold the crown of thorns, and the reed for a sceptre, and the gorgeous robe, the bowing of the knee in mockery, and the wagging of the head in derision, spitting in his face, blindfolding him, and striking him with the palms of their hands; let him behold all these forming a horrid mixture of cruelties, and the whole will serve, in some measure though faintly, to represent the Redeemer's sufferings in this particular.
And amidst all these instances of mockery and shame, so cruelly and wantonly poured upon the sacred person of Jesus, there was one to heighten all, which I believe never before was heard of in the annals of mankind, in the vilest malefactor which ever suffered death for his crimes; I mean when the rabble mocked at the dying prayers of Jesus, and endeavoured to turn them into ridicule. It was said by Jesus ages before this great event took place, when speaking by the spirit of prophecy in allusion to his Father's hiding his face, "Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: mine adversaries are all before thee: reproach hath broken my heart." (Psalms 69:19-20) When therefore, under the pressure of a broken heart, Jesus cried out, "Eli, Eli, why hast thou forsaken me?" instantly they perverted the cry of Jesus, and jeered him, as if instead of calling as he did, upon his God and Father, he had called for one that was no helper, in Elias, and cruelly insulted him with adding,"Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him!"
Reader, I would only add, amidst the glories of Jesus, in the hall of Pilate, and on the cross, do not overlook the glory of the Son of God in the voluntary shame he endured. If Adam hath made us by original sin naked, and we all by actual transgression have done the samebehold Jesus. Stripped and made shame for us, as well as sin and a curse, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Think often of him who hid not his face from shame and spitting; and in the moment of such views of his unequalled shame and ignominy, recollect that when JEHOVAH brought in this first-begotten into the world, he said, "Let all the angels of God worship him." Precious Lord Jesus! the hour is hastening when that sacred head once crowned with thorns, and that glorious face so blasphemously spit upon, shall be seen with ho1y joy by all thy redeemed, when "every knee shall bow before thee, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen."